by RICKEY SINGH

THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY is "not on a begging bowl mission" to the United States this week.

That's the clear message yesterday from the CARICOM Secretariat as governments, business leaders, diplomats, and top technocrats of the Caribbean Community head to Washington for a unique three-day meeting in the United States capital.

Speaking separately, but reflecting a similar message, community secretary General Edwin Carrington, and current CARICOM chairman Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, told the SUNDAY SUN that the "primary purpose" was not to plead for more aid – though it was needed – but to forge a "new strategic and dignified relationship" for social and economic advancement.

For the first time in its 34-year history, the 15-member regional economic integration movement would be engaged in separate discussions with the president of the United States, representatives of Congress, State Department as well as officials of the business sector and international financial institutions, consistent with the envisaged "new relationship" between CARICOM and the USA

Security and new initiatives in the areas of trade and investment to boost economic develoment for Caribbean prosperity, are expected to be at the core of discussions.

Particularly so for the scheduled two-hour summit at The White House between President George Bush and CARICOM leaders on Wednesday .

Also scheduled for Wednesday is a meeting with representatives of the influential US House of Ways and Means Committee whose chairman is Congressman Charles Rangel, viewed both on Capitol Hill and within CARICOM, as one of the "long-time friends" of the Caribbean.

This week's Washington Conference on the Caribbean includes a major initiative to strengthen ties with the expanding Caribbean diaspora in the United States and for which various activities have been planned.